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Job Analysis Methods

There are several common methods for analyzing jobs, each with advantages and disadvantages. Observation involves directly watching employees perform tasks but risks personal bias. Interviews allow employees to describe their own work but require interviewing multiple people. Questionnaires can collect information from many employees at once but also risk bias if not designed and communicated carefully. The appropriate method depends on factors like the organization and job being analyzed.

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Zinou Harche
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111 views

Job Analysis Methods

There are several common methods for analyzing jobs, each with advantages and disadvantages. Observation involves directly watching employees perform tasks but risks personal bias. Interviews allow employees to describe their own work but require interviewing multiple people. Questionnaires can collect information from many employees at once but also risk bias if not designed and communicated carefully. The appropriate method depends on factors like the organization and job being analyzed.

Uploaded by

Zinou Harche
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Job Analysis Methods

Though there are several methods of collecting job analysis information yet choosing the one or a
combination of more than one method depends upon the needs and requirements of organization
and the objectives of the job analysis process. Typically, all the methods focus on collecting the basic
job-related information but when used in combination may bring out the hidden or overlooked
information and prove to be great tools for creating a perfect job-candidate fit.

Selecting an appropriate job analysis method depends on the structure of the organization,
hierarchical levels, nature of job and responsibilities and duties involved in it. So, before executing
any method, all advantages and disadvantages should be analyzed because the data collected
through this process serves a great deal and helps organizations cope with current market trends,
organizational changes, high attrition rate and many other day-to-day problems.

Let’s discuss few of job analysis methods that are commonly used by the organizations to
investigate the demands of a specific job.

Job Analysis Methods

Most Common Methods of Job Analysis

• Observation Method: A job analyst observes an employee and records all his performed
and non-performed task, fulfilled and un-fulfilled responsibilities and duties, methods, ways
and skills used by him or her to perform various duties and his or her mental or emotional
ability to handle challenges and risks. However, it seems one of the easiest methods to
analyze a specific job but truth is that it is the most difficult one. Why? Let’s Discover.
It is due to the fact that every person has his own way of observing things. Different people
think different and interpret the findings in different ways. Therefore, the process may involve
personal biasness or likes and dislikes and may not produce genuine results. This error can
be avoided by proper training of job analyst or whoever will be conducting the job analysis
process.

This particular method includes three techniques: direct observation, Work Methods Analysis
and Critical Incident Technique. The first method includes direct observation and recording of
behaviour of an employee in different situations. The second involves the study of time and
motion and is specially used for assembly-line or factory workers. The third one is about
identifying the work behaviours that result in performance.

• Interview Method: In this method, an employee is interviewed so that he or she comes up


with their own working styles, problems faced by them, use of particular skills and techniques
while performing their job and insecurities and fears about their careers.
This method helps interviewer know what exactly an employee thinks about his or her own
job and responsibilities involved in it. It involves analysis of job by employee himself. In order
to generate honest and true feedback or collect genuine data, questions asked during the
interview should be carefully decided. And to avoid errors, it is always good to interview more
than one individual to get a pool of responses. Then it can be generalized and used for the
whole group.
• Questionnaire Method: Another commonly used job analysis method is getting the
questionnaires filled from employees, their superiors and managers. However, this method
also suffers from personal biasness. A great care should be takes while framing questions for
different grades of employees.
In order to get the true job-related info, management should effectively communicate it to the
staff that data collected will be used for their own good. It is very important to ensure them
that it won’t be used against them in anyway. If it is not done properly, it will be a sheer
wastage of time, money and human resources.

These are some of the most common methods of job analysis. However, there are several other
specialized methods including task inventory, job element method, competency profiling, technical
conference, threshold traits analysis system and a combination of these methods. While choosing a
method, HR managers need to consider time, cost and human efforts included in conducting the
process.

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